Displaceable fin for vehicles



May 29, 1962 w. GREGOR DISPLACEABLE FIN FOR VEHICLES r m 1 2 a ,NN m a Rm m m .r N w a v H. m 1 w 2 J MN N LL NN Q 4/ F ml: 1l|| Nv 0 ii N N mEmuwx E. o :2 MW 1 5 L. M, QN N V M 6 uN m N Q F \N May 29, 1962 w.GREGOR DISPLACEABLE FIN FOR VEHICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 14,1960 1/1 van/or:

W/LHELM GREGOR United States atent fifice 3,936,540 Patented May 29,1962 3,036,540 DISPLACEABLE FIN FOR VEHICLES Wilhelm Gregor, Achim,Bezirk Bremen, Germany, as-

signor to Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs G.m.b.H., Frankfurt am Main,Germany Filed Jan. 14, 1960, Ser. No. 2,513 Claims priority, applicationGermany Jan. 29, 1959 Claims. (Cl. 114-126) The present inventionrelates to rudder fins of vehicles such as ships, airplanes or the like.More in particular, the present invention relates to a new and usefulrudder fin for vehicles such as ships or airplanes and the like which isadapted for being pivoted into and out of the body of the vehicle andwhich is tiltable with respect to the direction of flow of the mediumthrough which the vehicle passes.

It is known in the art to provide rudder fins capable of displacement intwo different ways, a first, pivoting displacement moving the rudderfins into or out of the body of the vehicle so as to assume itsinoperative or operative position, respectively, and another, tiltingdisplacement, starting from the operative position of the rudder fin, soas to assume positions at various angles of inclination relative to thedirection of flow of the medium (e.g. air or water) through which thevehicle passes.

In most of the known displaceable rudder fins of this type the tiltingand pivoting movements are effected by mechanical driving andtransmission means comprising a plurality of gears, Worm gear couplingsand the like which require considerable space and are complicated andheavy. In other constructions the fins are hydraulically operated.However, the combination of a rotary with a tilting movement is ratherdifiicult to effect hydraulically and this arrangement is heavy andsusceptible to disturbance.

It has, therefore, already been proposed to provide rudder finspositioned in the body of vehicles such as airplanes or vesselscomprising a known rotary wing drive and to position this drive and thusthe rudder fin on pivots which are fixedly connected with the non-rotaryor elon gated portion of the rotary wing drive. While this arrangementis far simpler and requires less space than the known constructions itsuffers from the disadvantage of requiring adaptation to theconsiderable transverse forces transmitted by the fin proper to the wingdrive, in order to assure the operation of the latter under all pressureconditions. This calls for particular structures adapted to variousvehicles operating under different conditions and results in anundesirably great weight and dimension of the wing drive.

With the foregoing in mind it is an object of the present invention toprovide a rudder fin for vehicles such as particularly ships, airplanesor the like, which is adapted for both pivoting and tilting movementsand has a comparatively simple structure which requires comparativelylittle space.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a rudder finfor vehicles such as particularly ships, airplanes or the like, which isadapted for both pivoting and tilting movements and which can be used ina variety of operating conditions without requiring particularadaptation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a rudder finfor vehicles such as particularly ships, airplanes or the like of thetype comprising wing drive means, wherein the latter are relieved fromtransverse forces applied to the rudder fin.

These objects are achieved by the rudder fin of the present inventionwhich can be pivoted about pivot studs and which can be tilted relativeto the direction of flow of the medium through which the vehicle ispassing, and

which comprises a hollow hub mounted on the pivot studs transverselyrelative to the longitudinal extension of the studs; the hollow hubsupports the fin and receives a shaft fixedly connected with the fin atone end, and connected at its opposite, outer end with the rotary partof the fin tilting drive means. The pivot studs and hollow hub andeventually also the rotary part of the fin tilting drive means and theshaft within the hollow hub may consist of one integral piece ofmaterial. Furthermore, the hollow hub and the rotary part of the finpivoting drive means can be disposed at opposite ends of the pivotstuds.

The invention will be better understood upon the following descriptionof the accompanying drawings, wherein FIGURE 1 is a longitudinallysectional view of the horizontally disposed fin of the invention;

FIGURES 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d are cross-sectional views taken along lines2a, 2b, 2c and 2d, respectively in FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the fin of the invention.

More in detail, FIGURE 1 shows the vertical pivot studs 1, 2, which arepivotally positioned in bearings 3 and 4 secured to body 2t) of thevehicle. A casing 18 is mounted on bearing 3; elements 3, 4 and 18 areillustrated as being stationary with respect to body 20. As also shownin the drawings, the pivot studs 1 and 2 can form a portion of anintegral piece of material also constituting the horizontally disposedhollow conical hub 5. The hub 5 is provided with bearings 6 and '7 onwhich fin 8 is rotatably positioned. A shaft 11 extends interiorlythrough hollow hub 5, the outermost left-hand end of which is connectedwith the rotary wing portion of the flu tilting drive means 1213 fortilting the fin relative to the direction of flow of the medium throughwhich the vehicle is passing. At its opposite right-hand end the shaft'11 is connected with fin 8 by means of a wedge 9 and screw 10. Thecasing 13 of the fin tilting drive is fixedly mounted on the integralpiece constituting the hub 5 and the vertical pivot studs 1, 2, andhouses the rotary wing portion 12. Flexible conduits 15 and borings 16are provided in pivot stud 1 for conveying the control pressure mediumto the rotary wings 12. The distribution of the control pressure mediumis effected by structure and in a manner known per se and described, forexample, in British patent specification 477,779.

FIGS. 20 and 2d illustrate cross-sections along the lines 2c and 2d inFIG. 1, respectively, and they show ring channels 25 and 25communicating with lines 16 on the one hand and with pressure chambers24" via openings '26 on the other hand, for rotatably driving shaft 11relative to casing 13 and the stationary part of rotary Wing drive 12,in a manner known per se for rotary wing types.

A further drive '17-18 is provided for eifecting the pivoting movementof the fin 8 horizontally into and out of the vehicle body, i.e. fromthe operative position into the inoperative position and vice versa. Itcomprises the casing 18 fixedly mounted on bearing 3 and housing therotary wing portion 17.

FIGS. 2a and 2b illustrate cross-sections of pivot drive 17, along lines2a and 217 (FIG. 1). This pivot drive 17 is also of the rotary wing typeand it is substantially similar to the rotary wing drive 12. There arealso provided ring channels 22 and 22, respectively, communicating viaducts 23 and 23' with pressure chamber 214. Reference numerals 21 and 21denote feeder lines for ring channels 22 and 22, respectively.

The pivoting drive 1718 returns the fin 8 to the vehicle body byswinging pivot studs 1, 2, hub 5, the tilting drive 12-13 and fin 8about the vertical longitudinal axis of pivot studs 1 and 2, with thefin 8 retaining its horizontal position illustrated in FIGURE 1 duringthe pivoting movement.

The fin 8 is tilted relative to the direction of flow of the mediumthrough which the vehicle is passing by means of the fin tilting drive13. The latter drive rotates shaft 11 about its axis, thereby tiltingfin 8 connected with shaft 11 via wedge and screw connections 9, 10,with the pivot studs 1 and 2 and hub 5 remaining stationary during thistilting movement.

The transverse forces applied to fin 8 are transmitted to hub 5 via thebearings 6 and 7, rotary Wing portion 12 thus being relieved from theseforces.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modificationin order to adapt it to different usages and conditions and,accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within thisinvention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A rudder fin arrangement for vehicles comprising a fin, pivotingdrive means for causing a pivoting movement of said fin into and out ofthe body of the vehicle, rotary wing means in said pivoting drive means,and tilting drive means for causing a tilting movement of said finrelative to the direction of flow of the medium through which thevehicle is passing, rotary wing means in said tilting drive means, aplurality of pivot studs, a hollow hub connected With said pivot studsextending transversely relative to the longitudinal axis of said pivotstuds and supporting said fin, and a shaft interiorly extending throughsaid hollow hub, said shaft being connected at one end with said rotarywing means in said tilting drive means and at its opposite end with saidfin.

2. A rudder fin arrangement for vehicles comprising a fin, pivotingdrive means for causing a pivoting movement of said fin into and out ofthe body of the vehicle, rotary wing means in said pivoting drive means,and tilting drive means for causing a tilting movement of said finrelative to the direction of flow of the medium through which thevehicle is passing, rotary wing means in said tilting drive means, aplurality of pivot studs, a hollow hub, forming one integral piece ofmaterial with said pivot studs, extending transversely relative to thelongitudinal axis of said pivot studs and supporting said fin, and ashaft interiorly extending through said hollow hub, said shaft beingconnected at one end with said rotary wing means in said tilting drivemeans and at its opposite end with said fin.

3. A rudder fin ararngement for vehicles comprising a fin, pivotingdrive means for causing a pivoting movement of said fin into and out ofthe body of the vehicle, rotary Wing means in said pivoting drive means,and tilting drive means for causing a tilting movement of said finrelative to the direction of flow of the medium through which thevehicle is passing, rotary wing means in said tilting drive means, aplurality of pivot studs, a hollow hub connected with said pivot studsextending transversely relative to the longitudinal axis of said pivotstuds and supporting said fin, and a shaft interiorly extending throughsaid hollow hub, said shaft forming one integral piece of material withsaid rotary wing means in said tilting drive means, being connected atone end with said rotary wing means in said tilting drive means and atits opposite end with said fin.

4. A rudder fin arrangement for vehicles comprising a fin, pivotingdrive means for causing a pivoting movement of said fin into and out ofthe body of the vehicle, rotary wing means in said pivoting drive means,and tilting drive means for causing a tilting movement of said finrelative to the direction of flow of the medium through which thevehicle is passing, rotary wing means in said tilting drive means, aplurality of pivot studs, a hollow hub connected with said pivot studsextending transversely relative to the longitudinal axis of said pivotstuds and supporting said fin, said hollow hub and said tilting drivemeans being disposed at opposite sides of said pivot studs, and a shaftinteriorly extending through said hollow hub, said shaft being.connected at one end with said rotary wing means in said tilting drivemeans and at its opposite end with said fin.

5. A rudder fin arrangement for vehicles comprising a fin, pivotingdrive means for causing a pivoting movement of said fin into and out ofthe body of the vehicle, rotary wing means in said pivoting drive means,and tilting drive means for causing a tilting movement of said pinrelative to the direction of flow of the medium through which thevehicle is passing, rotary wing means in said tilting drive means, aplurality of pivot studs, a hollow hub connected with said pivot studsextending transversely relative to the longitudinal axis of said pivotsstuds and supporting said fin, and a shaft interiorly extending throughsaid hollow hub, said shaft being connected at one end with said rotarywing means in said tilting drive means and at its opposite end with saidfin and conduit means in one of said pivot studs for conveying apressure medium to said tilting drive means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,210,935 Giliberty Aug. 13, 1940 2,848,971 Kollenberger Aug. 26, 19582,937,608 Vandersteel May 24, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 477,779 Great BritainJan. 6, 1938 534,372 Italy Oct. 14, 1955 1,153,990 France Oct. 21, 19571,154,259 France Oct. 28, 1957 802,105 Great Britain Oct. 1, 1958

